


The Otter in the Bath

by Small_Hobbit



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-19
Updated: 2015-03-19
Packaged: 2018-03-18 16:35:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3576327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Small_Hobbit/pseuds/Small_Hobbit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Finding an otter in the bath is a perfectly normal occurence for John Watson.  What happens later isn't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Otter in the Bath

The first time John Watson found the otter in the bath he was surprised, but even then he had sufficient experience of living with Sherlock Holmes to take it in his stride and back quietly out of the bathroom, muttering about having a shower later. Similarly for the next few occasions; it was inconvenient, especially when a chase had left him feeling tired and grubby, but he had quickly learnt that by the time he had made and drunk a cup of tea the otter would have disappeared. Quite where it had gone he wasn’t sure, but as it caused much less trouble overall than Sherlock did, he wasn’t inclined to ask. The only thing he was sure about was the otter appeared when a case had involved water, be it the River Thames, the lake in Regent’s Park or as was currently the case, the fountains in Trafalgar Square.

John was finishing his mug of tea, prior to returning to the bathroom for a shower, when he was surprised to see DI Lestrade emerge from the bathroom, wearing a towel.

“Sorry,” John said, “You’ll have to wait. There’s an otter in there.”

“Not anymore,” Lestrade replied.

“What?” John looked understandably confused as Lestrade crossed the floor to go to Sherlock’s room. (Sherlock having returned to 221B briefly had hurtled out again). “And when did you get here? I didn’t hear you arrive.”

Shortly afterwards a now dressed Lestrade re-emerged from Sherlock’s bedroom. “I came in with Sherlock.”

John looked at him and grinned. “Go on then, tell me you’re an otter.”

“Otter shifter to be exact,” Lestrade replied. “Comes in extremely useful at times.”

John suspected he was doing an excellent impression of a goldfish. “Can I get you anything?” he asked weakly.

“Coffee would be nice, thank you. And then, while we wait for Sherlock to return, would you like me to explain?”

**Author's Note:**

> Written for LJ's comment fic for the prompt "no one expected them to be an otter shifter"


End file.
